Sunday, December 5, 2010

For some reason this year, I have had a hard time getting into the Christmas season. It's only three weeks away, and I have made no preparations. Usually most of my Christmas gifts are purchased and I have decorated my house, but not yet this year. Then yesterday, it snowed. A beautiful wet stick to the ground snow. Now it feels like winter, now if feels like Christmastime. It's time to start baking!

These cookies are the version of sugar cookies my husband's grandmother always used to make. They are delicious and buttery. They are good plain, but we prefer them with the powdered sugar glaze.

Rolled Butter Cookies

3 cups flour-sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter at room temperature

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Put flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in softened butter with a pastry blender until the particles are fine. (I actually usually do this in my food processor, but a pastry blender by hand will do just fine.) After the butter is mixed in, add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to three days.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it's 1/8 inch thick. Cut into shapes as desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with a mixture of 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla and 5-6 tablespoons milk.